The old boat 2019

Editor: This is Alfred Freddy Krupa’s "The old boat," created in 2019, using ink and charcoal. It has a kind of melancholic, ghostly quality. What do you see in this piece beyond just the representational level? Curator: Beyond its immediate depiction, I see a powerful visual metaphor for displacement and decay, common themes after the refugee crisis in the 2010s. The boat, rendered in stark monochrome, evokes a sense of loss and the precariousness of human existence. Considering Krupa’s identity, how might his own history as a refugee inform this artistic choice? Editor: That’s interesting, I hadn't considered it in relation to displacement directly, more just the passage of time. Do you think the abstract elements contribute to that sense of instability? Curator: Absolutely. The swirling, almost chaotic brushstrokes could represent the turbulent waters of political and social upheaval. And how the rigid geometric form of the boat’s structure contrasts with the fluidity of the ink washes is also something to explore further. What tensions do you see arising from this contrast? Editor: I guess the geometric versus the fluid shows the tension between our desire for stability and the reality of constant change. Curator: Exactly. This is why thinking about intersectional narratives is important. How do race, class, and geopolitical location affect who gets to experience stability, and whose stories are told through the image of a dilapidated boat? Editor: It’s fascinating how a seemingly simple drawing can open up to so many different levels of interpretation and hold such significance. Thanks for sharing your insights. Curator: And thank you for prompting this conversation. Art is most powerful when it provokes critical engagement and encourages us to question the structures that shape our world.